Galaxy Note 7 US Recall At 85%, Battery To Be Capped At 60%

You may no longer hear much about the Galaxy Note 7 in the news recently, except for a few postmortem analyses here and there. Especially now that the spotlight may have just been stolen by Samsung's own smart washing machines. That's not to say, however, that Samsung isn't busy working behind the scenes. Or so it seems to imply. It has just proudly reported that in the US alone, 85% of Galaxy Note 7 devices have already been exchanged or refunded. And for the remaining 15%, it has an unpleasant surprise waiting for them.

The annals of history will probably point out how Samsung botched up even the "recall" of its defective devices. Which isn't formally a recall, but a rose by any other name and so on. The company has kept on urging owners to turn in their Galaxy Note 7 for either a replacement device or a refund. Some market analysts and observers claim that those that do have opted to get an iPhone afterwards.

Now 85% of such devices have been surrendered, at least in the US alone. That does mean that there are still 15% out there in the streets. Some users have decided to hold on to the device for posterity's sake. After all, it could very well be the last Galaxy Note Samsung will ever make. In other words, it's now a part of history, notorious as it may be.

The problem, however, is that some owners do still insist on using the device, even at the risk of fines or even jail. Samsung and the US CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) have urged owners to power down their devices. Those that don't do so will receive an update that will, in effect, make using the Galaxy Note 7 an unpleasant, but not explosive, experience.

A software update promised to roll out in the coming days will cap the battery charge to 60%. That practically means that you have just a bit over half the capacity of the battery in use. That is to prevent the smartphone from overheating while charging. In addition to the nagging reminders from a previous software update, this is designed to "further drive participation" in Samsung's Refund and Exchange program.

SOURCE: Samsung